Slider for slide fasteners



Oct. 24, 1950 l. GERSTMAN SLIDER FOR suns: FASTENERS Filed Oct. 31. 1945 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Oct. 24, 1950 SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Irving Gerstman, Buffalo, N. Y., assignor to Gerstman Supply Company, Buffalo, N. Y., a

partnership Application October 31, 1945, Serial No. 625,788

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a slider for slide operated fasteners of the type in which opposed series of interlatching fastener members are mounted respectively upon the edges of flexible stringers and are moved into and out of engaging relationship by means of a slider, and more particularly to a slider which is separable to release one or both of the series of fastener members and to a releasable connection for one end of the flexible stringers and against which the slider works.

With reversible garments, that is, those garments which permit of their being worn inside out, it is awkward, if not impossible for the wearer, after reversing the garment to reach down inside of the garment to operate the slider. It is accordingly one of the objects of the invention to provide a novel type of reversible slider which can be completely removed from the two series of fastener members and replaced in reversed position when the garment is reversed so that the slider is always conveniently operable from the outside.

With many types of garments it is desirable to release one of the series of fastener members from the slider so as to permit the garment to be completely opened. At the same time with many such garments it is desirable that the slider remain attached to the other series of fastener members so that there is no danger of losing the slider. It is accordingly one of the objects of the invention to provide a modified form of slider which clings to one of the series of fastener members while releasing the other series of fastener members to accomplish this result.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a releasable slider with complementary, substantially parallel spaced wings or trapezoidal body parts arranged on opposite sides of the fastener stringers, which wings are pivoted together to permit of operatively disconnecting the slider from at least one of the fastener stringers, a secure latch being provided to hold the wings or trapezoidal body parts in operative position.

Another object is to provide such a slider having overlying complementary separable wings or trapezoidal body parts with readily releasable fastening means permitting separation of the wings but not total disconnection of these wings.

Another aim of the invention is to provide such a' slider which can be designed for release of either one or both of the two series of stringers with but slight modification and which permit interchangeability of the larger of the parts of the two forms of sliders, thereby to reduce manufacturing costs.

Another aim of the present invention is to provide such a separable slider and a releasable connection for one end of the stringers with which the slider cooperates which is simple in construction, compact, low in cost and which will stand up under conditions of severe and constant use.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a slider, greatly enlarged, embodying the present invention and of the form which, when separated, releases both of the series of fastener members on the stringers, which stringers are shown in dotted lines, the separable parts of the slider being shown in this figure as in their closed or operative posiand showing a modification of the invention in which the slider is separable to release only one of the series of fastener members on the two stringers, but clings or remains secured to the other series of fastener members.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5 of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 8.

Referring particularly to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-7, the separable slider, indicated generally by the numeral l 5, is adapted to be moved longitudinally of a pair of flexible stringers l6 and [8 which are provided on their opposing marginal portions with a plurality of fastener members IQ of the usual type and which are adapted to be coupled together by the upward movementof the slider l5, as viewed in the drawings, thereby to effect a fastening together of the two stringers. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-7, these stringers l6 and It! may, if desired, be considered as representing the opposite flaps of a reversible garment which are to be brought together by the operation of the slider l5.

The slider I5 comprises complementary front and rear wings or trapezoidal body parts 20 and 2|, respectively, the front wings or body part 20 including a front wall 22 formed to provide a narrow lower portion which flares outwardly at the upper part of the wall to provide a generally trapezoidal shaped body part, and the top edge \ll 3 1 of this wall preferabl tapers downwardly and outwardly on each side of a vertical median'line, as indicated at 23. Each side edge'of the front wall 22 is provided with a rearwardly projecting flange 24 preferably formed integrally with this wall. The front wing or body part 20 is centrally provided with a slot 25 which extends downwardly from its upper extremity approximately halfway to its lower extremity and on opposite sides of this slot 25 the front wing or body part 20 is formed to provide a pair of ears 26 which project upwardly and rearwardly from the front wing or body part 2|] and are arranged in fore-and-aft parallel relation to each other. The front wing or body part 20 is additionally provided on opposite sides and near the lower extremity of the slot 25 with a pair of parallel forwardly projecting ears 28 which are provided with coaxial bores 29 arranged parallel with the front wall 22 for a purpose which will presently appear.

The rear wing or trapezoidal body part 2| of the slider I is of similar shape to that of the front wing or trapezoidal body part 20 and has a rear wall 36 of the same generally trapezoidal shape as the front wall 22, forwardly projecting side flanges 3| being'provided on the opposite side edges of a rear wall 30 and the top edge of this wall tapering downwardly and outwardly in the same manner as the top edge of the front wall 22, as indicated at 23. Adjacent its upper edge and centrally thereof the rear wall 30 is formed to provide a forwardly projecting neck 32 which is substantially triangular in cross section, this neck extending forwardly preferably to the rear face of the front wall 22 01' the front wing or body portion 20 when the wings 20 and 2| are arranged in their operative positions shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. The rear wing or body part 2| is formed to provide an upwardly and forwardly projecting ear 33 which fits between the ears 26 of the front wing or body part 20 and is secured thereto by a rivet or pivot pin 34 which extends transversely through the ears 26 and 33 parallel with the front and rear walls 22 and 36 of the front and rear wings 20 and 2| respectively. It will therefore be seen that the two wings or trapezoidal body parts 20 and 2| can be moved about the axis of their connecting pivot pin 34 to the closed or parallel operative position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 to the open, inoperative or angular position of these wings, as shown in Fig. 4.

In the closed parallel or operative position of these wings, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, the forward faceof the central triangular neck of the rear wing or body part 2| abuts against the rear face of the front wall 22 of the front wing 20 and provides, with the side flanges 24 and 3| of the two wings a Y-shaped channel 36, the central part of which is open at its bottom and the branches of which diverge upwardly and outwardly and are open at the top. In this closed position of the slider the flanges 24 and 3| of the two wings are separated from each other to provide a space for receiving the cloth part l6 and I8 of the two stringers. In addition the rear wing or body part 2| is formed to provide an ear 36 which projects forwardl from the central part of the triangular neck 32 into the slot 25 and between the two forwardly projecting ears 28 of the front wing 20. This forwardly projecting ear 39 of the rear wing 2| is formed on its opposite sides to provide a pair of recesses 39 which regis- 4 ter with the bores 29 of the forwardly projecting ears 28 of the front wing 20.

The slider is operated by means of a pivoted tab indicated generally at 40. This tab is shown as being of generally rectangular shape with a tapered bottom extremity 4| and is shown as bifurcated to provide a pair of spaced upstanding fingers 42 which embrace the forwardly'projecting ears 28 of the front wing 29 as best shown in Figs. 2 and 6. Each of these ears is provided with an opening 43 extending therethrough and arranged to register with the bores 29 through the ears 28. The extremities of the fingers 42 are also preferably formed toprovide cams 44 which engage the front wall 22 of the front wing 29 when the tab is swung either to its extreme downward or its extreme upward position, thereby to provide frictional resistance to the movement of the tab from either of these positions. The tab 4|! is secured to the forwardly projecting cars 28 of the front wing 20 by a pair of sliding pins 45 which extend through the openings 43 of the tab into the bores 29 of the cars 28, as best shown in Fig. 6. The opposing extremities of these pins 45 also enter the recesses 39 of the forwardly projecting ear 38 of the rear wing 2| so as to latch the two wings 20, 2| in the parallel, closed or operative position shown in Figs. 1-3, 5 and 6. Each pin 45 is mounted on the end of an L-shaped arm 46, one side of each of these L-shaped arms extending over the front face of the tab 40 and being secured thereto by a screw 46 which permits the pivotal movement of the arm 46. The lower extremities of the arms 46 extend along the tapered end 4| of the tab so that the user can press the lower extremities of these arms 46 together thereby to retract the pins 45 from the recesses 39. The lower ends of these arms 46 are biased outwardly to yieldingly maintain the pins 45 in the latching recesses 39 and to this end a U-shaped spring 49 has its cross bar fitted in a transverse slot or recess 56 provided in the rear face of the tab 40 below the screws 48 and has its legs extending downwardly along the tapered part 4| of the tab and in engagement with the opposing faces of the lower ends of the two arms 46 so as to yieldingly urge the lower ends of these arms outwardly and away from each other.

' In the operative condition of the slider, the wings 20 and 2| are in parallel position with the pins 45 in the recesses 39 so as to latch the wings 23 and 2| in this operative position. The stringers l6, l8 are arranged in the spaces between the opposing fianges 24, 3| of the wings 20 and 2| with the series of fastening members IS in the channel 36, one series of these fastening members extending outwardly through one branch of this Y-shaped channel and the other series extending through the other branch thereof. As the slider is moved. upwardly, as viewed in the drawings, the two seriesof fastening members l9 move down the branches of the Y-shaped channel 36 and are brought into alternate interlatching engagement with each other.

When it is desired to reverse the garment the user presses the lower ends of the arms 46 together against the resistance of th legs of the U-shaped spring 49. This withdraws the inner extremities of the two pins 45 from the recesses 39 on opposite sides of the ear 38 which projects forwardly from the rear wing 2| between the ears 28 projecting forwardly from the front wing 20. Upon then pulling forwardly on the tab 40 the front wing 20 is pulled forwardly out of its par-- allel operative relation to the rear wing 2|, the

front-wing pivoting about the rivet N which joins the ears at the upper ends of t e two wings 20 and 2|. This permits theslide to be completely removed from both series of the fastening members IS. The garment can then be reversed and the slider replaced. In replacing the slider the two series of fastening members l9 are properly fitted in the Y-shaped channel 36 of the rear wing or body part 2| and the front wing 20 is then brought into parallel relation with this rear wing 2|. To facilitate this closing movement of the two wings the forward extremity of the ear 38 is preferably tapered on its opposite sides, as indicated at so as to provide cam surfaces against which the opposing extremities of. the pins 45 ride when the wings 20, 2| are brought together. These cam surfaces 5| serve to spread the pins and when the pins reach registry with the notches 39 in the ear 38 the inner ends of these pins spring into these notches so as to latch the wings 20, 2| in the parallel position shown in Figs. 1-3, 5 and 6. This springing of these pins into these notches is a function of the U-shaped spring 49 which urges outwardly the lower ends of the arms 46 which carry these pins.

With some types of garments it is desirable to provide a slider which releases one of the series of fastening members l9 but which clings to the other series. An example of such use would be a non-reversible jacket which can be completely opened but where it is desirable to have the slider cling to one of the series of fastening members so that there is no danger of losing the same. It will be seen that the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-7 can be readily modified to accomplish this result. Thus, by the provision of a small wedge-shaped flat flange 55 projecting outwardly from the ear 38 of the rear wing 2| and fitting against the rear face of the front wall 22 of the front wing when the two wings are brought together, the corresponding one of the series of fastening members I9 is permanently retained in the corresponding side of the channel 36. It will be seen that this modification of the invention, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, operates in the same manner as the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-7 except that only one of the two series of fastening members I9 is released, the other series being permanently secured in the channel 36 of the slider by the small retaining flange provided at one side only of the slider. In other respects the form of the invention shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is identical to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-7,

the complete illustration of the tab not being repeated.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a slider of rugged, compact, simple and inexpensive construction which can readily be separated from one or both of these series of fastening members which it connects.

I claim as my invention:

1. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying, spaced wings, means pivotally connecting said wings adjacent one edge thereof, means limiting the movement of said wings towards each other to provide the operative spaced relation of said wings, and means detachably connecting said wings in said operative relation, comprising an ear on one of said wings projecting, in said operative relation of said wings, through an aperture in the other of said wings, an ear on the other of said wings alongside said aperture and the projecting end of said first ear, and means detachably securing said ears together, comprising a spring loaded, manually releasable detent on one of said ears and engageable with a recess provided in the other of said ears.

2. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying, spaced wings, means pivotally connecting said wings adjacent one edge thereof, means limiting the movement of said wings toward each other to provide the operative spaced relation of said wings, and means detachably connecting said wings in said operative relation, comprising an ear on one of said wings projecting, in said operative relation of said wings, through an aperture in the other of said wings, an ear on the other of said wings alongside said aperture and theprojecting end of said first ear, and means detachably securing said ears together, comprising a spring loaded, manually releasable detent on one of said ears and engageable with a recess provided in the other of said ears, said the other of said ears having a cam surface leading to said recess and engaging said detent to move the same against the resistance of said spring when said wings are swung together.

3. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying, spaced win'gs, means pivotally connecting said wings adjacent one edge thereof, means limiting the movement of said wings toward each other to provide the operative spaced relation of said wings, and means detachably connecting said wings in said operative relation, comprising an ear on the central part of one of said wings and projecting, in said operative relation of said wings, through a central aperture in the other of said wings, a pair of ears on the other of ,said wings along opposite sides of said aperture and the projecting end of said firstear, and means detachably securing said first ear to said pair of ears, comprising a sliding pin in each of said pair of ears and movable toward and from each other into and out of engagement with recesses in said first ear, and spring means engaging said pins and arranged to urge said pins toward each other.

4. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying, spaced wings, means pivotally connecting said wings adjacent one edge thereof, means limiting the movement of said wings toward each other to'provide the operative spaced relation of said wings, and means detachably connecting said wings in said operative relation, comprising an ear on the central part of one of said wings, and projecting, in said operative relation of said wings, through a central aperture in the other of said wings, a pair of ears on the other of said wings along opposite sides of said aperture and the projecting end of said first ear, and means detachably securing said first ear to said pair of ears, comprising a sliding pin in each of said pair of ears and movable toward and from each other into and out of engagement with recesses in said first ear, and spring means engaging said pins and arranged to urge said pins toward eachother, said first ear being tapered to provide a pair of opposite cam faces leading to said recesses and engaging said pins to move the same against the resistance of said spring means when said wings are swung together.

5. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying, spaced wings, means pivotally connecting said wings adjacent one edge thereof, means limiting the movement of said wings to-. ward each other to provide the operative spaced 7 relation of said wings, and means detachably connecting said wings in said operative relation, comprising an car on the central part of one of said wings and proje ting, in said operative relation of said wings, ough a central aperture in the other of said wings, a pair of ears on the other of said wings along opposite sides of said aperture and the projecting end of said first ear, and means detachably securing said first earto said pair of ears, comprising a sliding pin in each of said pair of ears arranged in coaxial relation to each other and movable toward and from each other into and out of engagement with recesses in said first ear, 2. tab having a pair of fingers each pivotally supported on one of said pins, and spring means carried by said tab and urging said pins toward each other.

6. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying, spaced wings, means pivotally connecting said wings adjacent one edge thereof, means limiting the movement of said wings toward each other to provide the operative spaced relation of said wings, and means detachably connecting said wings in said operative relation, comprising an ear on the central part of one of said wings and projecting, in said operative relation of saidwings, through a central aperture in the other of said wings, a pair of ears on the other of said wings along opposite sides of said aperture and the projecting end of said first ear, and means detachably securing said first ear to said pair of ears, comprising a sliding pin in each of said pair of ears arranged in coaxial relation to each other and movable toward and from each other into and out of engagement with recesses in said first ear, a tab having a pair of fingers each pivotallysupported on one of said pins, and spring means carried by said tab and engaging said pins and arranged to urge said pins toward each other and comprising an arm pivoted centrally at each side of said tab on an axis perpendicular to said pins, means operatively connecting the corresponding ends of said arms to said pins and a spring urging the opposite ends of said arms apart.

7. A slider for slide fasteners, comprising overlying, spaced wings, means pivotally connecting said wings adjacent one edge thereof, means limiting the movement of said wings toward each other to provide the operative spaced relation of said wings, and means detachably connecting said wings in said operation relation, comprising an ear on the central part of one of said wings and projecting, in said operative relation of said wings, through a central aperture in the other of said wings, a pair of ears on the other of said wings along opposite sides of said aperture and the projecting end of said first ear, and means detachably securing said first ear to said pair of ears, comprising a sliding pin in each of said pair of ears arranged in coaxial relation to each other and movable toward and from each other into and out of engagement with recesses in said first ear, a tab having a pair of fingers each pivotally supported on one of said pins, and spring means carried by said tab and engaging said pins and arranged to urge said pins toward each other and comprising an arm pivoted centrally at each side of said tab on an axis perpendicular to said pins, means operatively connecting the corresponding ends of said arms to said pins and a U-shaped spring having its cross part anchored in a groove provided in said tab and having its legs engaging and urging the opposite ends of said arms apart.

8. A slider for interlatching a series of fastener members on one stringer with a series of fastener members on another stringer, comprising overlying, spaced wings, means detachably connecting said wings, said wings being formed to jointly provide, in the operative relation thereof a Y-shaped channel therebetween through the branches of which said series of fastener members are separately led into interlatching relation with each other, and a flange arranged between said wings and fast to one of said wings and embracing one of said series of fastener members to retain said one of said wings on said one of said series of fastener members when said wings are separated from each other.

9. A slider -for interlatching a series of fastener members on one stringer with a series of fastener members on another stringer, comprising overlying, spaced, generally trapezoidal wings, having generally symmetrical halves on opposite sides of a median line, means detachably connecting said wings, a triangular neck on the enlarged part of one of said wings with one apex intersected by said median line and providing a stop limiting the movement of said wings toward each other to provide the operative spaced relation of said wings and defining, in said operative relation of said wings, a Y-shaped channel conforming to the trapezoidal shape of said wings, said series of fastener members being separately led through the branches of said Y-shaped channel into interlatching relation with each other, and a flange arranged between said wings and projecting from said triangular neck into one side of said channel to embrace the corresponding series of fastener members to retain said one of said wings on said one of said series of fastener members when said wings are separated from each other.

10. A slider for interlatching a series of fastener members on one stringer with a series of fastener members on another stringer, comprising overlying, spaced wings, means pivotally connecting said wings adjacent one edge thereof, means connected to one wing and limiting the movement of said wings toward each other to provide the operative spaced relation of said wings, means detachably connecting said wings in said operative relation, comprising an ear on one of the said wings projecting, in said operative relation of said wings, through an aperture in the other of said wings, an ear on the other of said wings alongside said aperture and the projecting end of said first ear, and means detachably securing said ears together, and means retaining one of said wings on one of said series of fastener members when said wings are separated from each other,.comprising a flange between said wings and fast to said means limiting the movement of said wings toward each other and embracing said one of said series of fastener members.

11. A slider for interlatching a series of fastener members on one stringer with a series of fastener members on another stringer, comprising overlying, spaced generally trapezoidal front and rear wings having generally symmetrical halves on opposite sides of a median line, means pivotally connecting the enlarged parts of said wings together adjacent their edges and at said median line, a forwardly projecting triangular neck on said rear wing adjacent said connecting means with one apex intersected by said median line and providing a stop limiting the movement of said wings toward each other to provide the operative spaced relation of said wings and defining a Y-shaped channel conforming to the trapezoidal shape of said wings, said series of fastener members being separately led through the branches of said ,Y-shaped channel into interlatching relation with each other, and means detachably connecting said wings in said operative relation, comprising an ear projecting, in said operative relation of said wings, forwardly from said triangular neck through an aperture in said front wing, a pair of forwardly projecting ears on said front wing on opposite sides of said aperture and the projecting end of said first ear, and means detachably securing said first ear to said pair of ears, and means retaining one of said wings on one of said series of fastener members when said wings are separated from each other, comprising a flange arranged between said wings and 10 projecting from said triangular neck into one side of said channel to embrace the correspond ing series of fastener members.

IRVING GERSTMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,942,912 Bebel et a1 Jan. 9. 1934 2,020,159 Pruzan Nov. 5, 1935 2,079,722 Sundback May 11, 1937 2,111,004 Pruzan Mar. 15, 1938 2,181,625 Mucci et al. Nov. 28, 1939 2,192,013 Marinsky Feb. 27, 1940 2,263,481 Austin Nov. 16 1941 2,366,797 Legat Jan. 9, 1945 

